ERATH - During Edwin Edwards, the former Louisiana governor, “ thank you” speech after being inducted into the Order of Living Legends in the Acadian Museum, Edwards stunned the crowd and his wife Trina with what he said.

Edwards, who will be 85 years old on Tuesday, told everyone who attended the ceremony in Erath that he and Trina will be trying to have a baby, starting in October. It is the first time he went public with the news.

“We have decided we will have a child,” said Edwards to the crowd. “I know it sounds impossible, but it is something I want to do. Trina said, ‘I do not know how long you will be alive, so I would like to have something to remember you by.’ I know what we are doing is something rare. I would like everyone to accept it.”

After his speech, Trina, 32, verified what he said was true. What she did not expect was for him to announce it Saturday in Erath.

“I did not know he would be saying it tonight,” said Trina after the announcement.

She said they will use the method of artificial insemination as the means of getting pregnant.

According Edwin Edwards, they already have the names of their child selected. If it is a boy, his name will be Gabriel. If it is a girl, she will be named Evangeline.

Edwards already has four children from his first wife, Elaine, who he was married to for 40 years. They divorced in 1989. Trina is his third wife. He married her in July of 2011.

He is Louisiana’s only four-term governor (1972–1980, 1984–1988 and 1992–1996).